Sheet-metal straightening and cutting-off machine.



P. B. SHUSTER, DECD. L. r. SHUSTER, ADMINISTRATEIX.

SHEET METAL STRAIGHTENING AND CUTTING OFF MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.13, 1910.

1,058,799. Patented Apr. 15,1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

% Q M Q? Z9 ATTORNEY P. B. SHUSTER, DEUD. L. r. SHUSTER, ADMINISTRATRIX.

SHEET METAL STRAIGHTENING AND CUTTING OFF MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 13, 1910.

1 05 799 Patented Apr. 15, 19 13,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES: IIVVE/V 70/? z @w. m 6% W $1M By fl ATTORNEY F B..SHUSTER, DEGD'.

L. 1'. snus'nm, ADMINISTRATRIX.

SHEET METAL STRAIGHTENING AND CUTTING OPE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 13, 1910.

Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

3 ATTORNEY INVENTUH WITNESSES.

cnumm PLANOURAPH COUWASVHINGTON. n. c,

F. B. SHUSTER, DECD.

L. I. SHUSTER, ADMINISTRATRIX.

SHEET METAL STRAIGHTENING AND CUTTING OFF MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 13, 1910.

PatentedApr. 15, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

INVENTOR COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH 410., WASHINGTON. D. cv

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN BONAPARTE SHUSTER, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT; L'UELLA F. SHUSTER, A

ADMINISTRATRIX OF SAID FRANKLIN B. SI-IUSTER, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO F. B. SI-IUSTER COMPANY, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ACORPORATION OF CON- NECTICUT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 15. 1913.

Application filed August 13, 1910. Serial No. 576,970.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN B. SHUs- TER, citizen of the United States, residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet- Metal Straightening and Cutting-O11 Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to machines for straightening and cutting sheet metal to predetermined lengths.

To enable others to understand my invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 represents a front elevation of the machine, broken view of the balance wheel pulley of the cutting off shaft, and sectional view of the table mechanism on line aa of Fig. 3; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the machine, and broken View of the frame and balance wheel pulley of the cut ting off shaft; Fig. 3 is a side elevation looking in the direction of arrow 72 of Fig. 1, broken view of the table mechanism, machine frame, and balance wheel pulley of the cutting off shaft; Fig. 4 is a detached broken side elevation of the table mechanism, and sectional view of its actuating be described, and 1 is an upright carrying the cutting off shaft 2 journaled therein. 3 is the pitman journaled on said shaft and carrying the cutting ofi' knife 4 at its lower end, and 5 is the stationary knife secured to the machine frame. The feeding and straightening rolls are of the usual construction and arrangement common in machines of this character and are.located within the frame 1.

The shafts 6 and 7 are the feed roll shafts carrying the feed rolls 6, 7 Fig. 6 and the straightening rolls one of which rolls, 8", is shown at Fig. 7 are mounted on the shafts 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 as shown projecting through the side of the machine frame at Fig. 3.

15 is a gear mounted on the feed roll shaft 6, and 16 a gear mounted onthe feed roll shaft 7. These gears, and the straightening roll gears 17 and 18, are driven from the straightening roll gear 19 on shaft 12, through the medium of the intermediate gears 20,21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 mounted on the studs 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33, while the other gears 34, 35, 36 and 37 on the straightening roll shafts 9, 10, 13 and 14 are driven from the main feed driving shaft 38, (see also Figs. 1 and 2). The pinion- 39 on this shaft drives the large gear 40 on the shaft 13, which shaft projects through the machine frame and carries, as before mentioned, the straightening roll gear 35.

41, 42, 43 and 44 are intermediate gears mounted on the studs-45, 46, 47 and" 48. 49 (Fig. 3) is another pinion on the shaft 38 which drives the large gear 50 on the straightening roll shaft 12, the outer end of which shaft is journaled in the bracket 51. The upper feed and straightening rolls are vertically adjusted in the usual manner through the medium of the hand wheels 52 and 53 and their respective horizontally arranged gears as shown.

The sheet metal strip A is drawn, by the before mentioned feed rolls, from a reel (not shown) and between the adjustable side guide rolls 54 (Figs. 2 and 3) and also between the fixed guides 55 and 56 to the before mentioned straightening rolls and from thence is carried between two similar side guide rolls forward of the straightening rolls. One of these forward side guide rolls 57 is shown at Fig. 3 adjustably mounted on the rod 58. These adjustable side guide rolls are essential in keeping the stock in proper longitudinal relation with v the table presently to be described.

59 is a platform on a line with the cutting edge of the lower knife 5 and slightly higher than the feeding line of the metal strip; This platform has the inclined face 59* projecting below said feeding line so as to insure the proper guiding of the stocklonto the platform 59. To keep the end" of the stock on said platform and insure its entry between the knives and especially with thin stock which would have a tendency to curl up at the end, the inclined adjustable guide 60 is provided as shown at Fig. 3, the end of which projects close to the edge of the upper edge tapered knife 4:, so that this guide will also act as a pick off or stripper to prevent the stock from being lifted by the knife in its retreat and thus insure its lying fiat on the platform after a section has been severed. The table'comprises the arms 61 secured at intervals to the table rocking shaft 62, and the platform 61 secured to these arms. 1

63 are a series of arms, seen more clearly at Figs. 1, 4 and 5, carrying the rolls 64 adapted to contact with the underside of the table arms 01. These roll arms are secured to the shaft 65 journaled in the supports 66, and in which supports the table shaft 62 is also journaled. These supports are in turn supported on the two rods 67 of the floor standards ('36. The table supporting shaft is actuated to drop the table into the position shown at Fig. 5 as soon as a severed strip has been deposited thereon. This dropping of the table is effected through the medium of the cam 69 on the cutting off shaft 2. This cam actuates the roll 70 of the lever 71, pivoted to the bracket 72, and as this lever is pivoted to one end of the horizontal bar 73 and the other end of said bar to the arm 74 of the table supporting shaft, said shaft is thus turned. As soon as the severed strip has been discharged from the table, the cam 69 on the cutting off shaft will be in a position to allow the roll arm shaft springs 75 to actuate said roll arm shaft, and, through the medium of the roll carrying arms, carry the table up into its normal horizontal position for the reception of another severed strip.

The electrical trip mechanism for controlling the movements of the feeding and cutting off mechanism comprises the overhanging trip plate 76 (Figs. 4 and 5) against which the end of the metal strip is adapted to contact and thus stop the feeding mechanism and bring the cutting off mechanism into operation. This plate is pivotally connected. to the spring actuated rod 76 in the arm 77 secured to the small shaft 78 of the frame 79, which frame is secured to the block 7 9 and insulated therefrom as shown by the insulation 80. The spring 76 is adapted to maintain the plate or gage 76 in such close relation with the table in its horizontal position as to make it impossibfle for the end of a metal strip to slip by the gage wi thout tripping the feeding mechanism. If desired, the rod 76 could extend far enoughto serve the purpose ofa gage and thus dispense with the plate 76. The

b16'c1i79 isadjusjt'ably mounted on the tripsa porangtar siya d' this bar is Sup orted on the bolts 82 passing through the up per extensions 66 of the supports 06, and is insulated therefrom by the insulation 83 so that said bar becomes one of the poles of a battery locatedbut not shown-within the machine frame.

84 is a circuit closing rod also mounted on the extensions (30 on which rests the contactspring 85. The wire (Fig. 1) connects with the binding post- 87 of the rod 841-, and the wire 88 with the binding post 89 of the bar 81. These wires enter the pipe 90 and connect with the before mentioned battery, and the switch 91 and push button 92 shown at Fig. 3 and the branch wires 93 and 94 connected with the ordinary electric latch 95 shown at Fig. 2. This being a common mode of wiring no further description relating thereto is necessary.

The feed shaft 38 carries the balance wheel pulley 90 and its outer end is journale'd in the bracket 97. On this shaft are the two longitudinally movable sleeves 98 and 99 (Figs. 1 and 2), the former adapted to be manually operated to stop the feeding and straightening rolls through the medium of the shipping lever 100 having the forked end 100 pivotally connected with said sleeve, while the latter is automatically operated through the medium of the shiftlever 101. This lever is swiveled to the sleeve 99 and also pivotally supported in the bracket 102 and its upper end is pivoted to the cam face sleeve 103 on the cutting off shaft 2. The lower end of this le-. ve'r carries the hinged catch 104 adapted to connect and disconnect with the electrical latch 95.

105 is a bracket carrying the spring actuated pin 105 adapted, when the lever is disconnected with the latch 95, to force the lower end of the lever outward to carry its sleeve, together with the sleeve 98, toward the balance wheel and cause the latter to engage the projection 106, connected with a key (not shown), and bring the feed shaft 38 to a state of rest. This movement of the lower end of said lever will carry its upper end in the opposite direction and cause the cam face sleeve 103 to engage witln the cam face 107 of the cutting off shaft and give one revolution to said shaft, when said sleeve will be forced back against a device similar to 106 connected with, but not shown, the hub of the continuously running balance wheel pulley 108 and stop the cutting off shaft 2. This will effect a reengagemerit of the lower end of the lever 101 with the electrical latch 95 and re-start the feedmechanism. The desirable feature of the long lever 101 is that it obviates the necessity of employing complicated mechanism to accomplish the same purpose.- Pivo'tally supported intermediate of its ends it is adapted with but little movenient to con trol and alternately actuate both the cutting off and feeding mechanism. While I show the upper end of this lever pivotally connected to a cam face sleeve on the cutting off shaft for the purpose heretofore mentioned, it will be understood that any other suitable and well known means could be substituted for the cam face sleeve that would effect the same result.

The shipping lever 100, connected with the independently operated sleeve 98 (Fig. 2), is pivotally supported on the screw 109 of the bracket 110 and may be locked in the notch 111 whenever it is found necessary to temporarily stop or independently operate the feeding mechanism.

112 is an ordinary friction device mounted on the feed driving shaft 88.

Operation: The gage block 7 9 having been adjusted on the bar 81 to bring the trip plate 76 the proper distance from the knives to represent the length of strips to be cut, the feeding mechanism will carry the stock forward until its end contacts with the said trip plate, which contact will cause the shaft 78 (Fig. 5) to turn and bring the electrode 113 of the arm 114: of said shaft (see also Fig. 4:) in contact with the electrode 115 of the block 7 9 and close the circuit, which closing of the circuit will stop the feeding mechanism and start up the cutting off mechanism. It will be observed that the upper surface of the table is below the edge of the lower knife 5 which allows a slight drop to the inner end of the severed strip and insures said strip lying flat and even on the table. The instant the cutting operation is completed the table will drop into the position shown at Fig. 5. The instant the table assumes a sufiicient inclination from its normal horizontal position, the severed strip will begin to slide off and will have left the 1 table before said table has reached its full drop, so that it will be impossible for the strip to interfere with the quick return of the table, as was the case in my former construction as shown in Patents No. 602,273 and No. 605,928 of 1898. In these patents a two-part table was used and, as. the outer end of a long severed strip would drop before the inner end, this outer end would strike and catch on the floor before the inner end had dropped clear of the tables, so that said inner end would often be caught by the rapidly closing tables. But with my present single table construction, it will be impossible, as before mentioned, for the table, no matter how quickly it may be made to return, to interfere with a severed strip, and, consequently, the machine can be operated at a much higher rate of speed and thus secure a corresponding increase in production. Another advantage shown in the present construction is in placing the knife carrying pitman above instead of below the table.

always lifted the stock up to the stationary knife, so that, when severed, the inner end of the severed strip would be above, and not on the table, thus preventing the inner and outer ends of the severed strip dropping together. But, with the pitm'an above the table, the action of its cutting knife would tend to force the inner end on to the table.

In my present construction, provision is made, as before mentioned, for manually operating the feeding and cutting off mechanism independently through the medium of the shipping lever 100 and the push button 92. This is an important feature when necessary to trim off the end of a strip before the machine is started to cut strips of predetermined lengths. To trim off the end of a strip, the feeding mechanism is arrested by locking the said shipping lever in the notch 111 as soon as the stock has advanced the proper distance between the knives, then the push button is pressed to actuate the cutting oft mechanism, then the shipping lever is released to allow the feeding mechanism to resume operation. This manual control of the feeding mechanism is also important whenever it is observed that a bad spot occurs in the metal, so that the feeding mechanism can be instantly arrested and the cutting off mechanism brought into action without allowing the stock to advance to the electrical tripping device.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination with feeding and cutting off mechanism, of a single table adapted to receive severed sections of metal, a supporting rocker shaft for the table, spring actuated roll carrying arms adapted to maintain the table in a position to receive a severed section of metal, and means connected with the cutting oif mechanism for actuating the rocker shaft to tilt the table against the spring tension of the roll carrying arms to discharge a severed section.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination with roll feeding and roll straightening mechanism, of a single-receiving table for severed sections of metal, a supporting rocker shaft for the table, spring actuated roll carrying arms adapted to maintain the table in a position to receive a severed sect-ion of metal, a knife carrying pitman located above the table, a stationary knife below the pitman, a pitman shaft, and mechanism connecting said shaft with the arm rocker shaft for actuating said rocker shaft to tilt the table against the spring tension of the roll carrying arms to discharge a severed section.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination with feeding and cutting off mechanism, of a receiving table, a supporting rocker shaft therefor, spring actuening rolls, and a knife carrying pitman anda stationary knife, of a platform located between the straightening rolls and said knives, said platform on a line with the edge of the stationary knife and adapted to receive the stock after passing said straightening rolls, an inclined adjustable guide and stripper located above said platform and adapted thereby to keep the forward end of a metal strip on the platform and also strip the metal from the movable knife.

5. In a machine for feeding and cutting off metal sections into predetermined lengths and comprising feeding and straightening rolls, abalance wheel feeding shaft, means for connecting said shaft with one of the straightening rolls, a cutting off shaft carrying a continuously running balance wheel pulley, aknife carrying pitman mounted on said cutting off shaft, a stationary knife below the pitman, a single receiving table, a rocker shaft therefor, spring controlled roll carrying arms below and in contact with the table, a longitudinally operating sleeve on the balance wheel feeding shaft, a pivotally supported shift lever operatively connected thereto, means for operatively connecting one end of said lever with the cutting off shaft, an electric latch, means for temporarily connecting the other end of said lever with the latch, an adjustable tripping device carrying a spring actuated gage overhanging the table, a system of electric wires connecting the latch with the tripping device so that when the metal has been fed along the table a predetermined distance, the end of the metal will engage the tripping device and close the circuit and stop the feeding mechanism and bring the cutting off mechanism into operation,- and means connecting the cutting off shaft with the table rocker shaft to tilt the same to deliver a severed section therefrom.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination with stock feeding and cutting o'ff mechanism and a receiving and delivery table, of a depending spring controlled trip, an adjustable support therefor, said trip adapted to maintain such close relation with the table when said table is in its normal closed position as to insure the engagement of the end of the stock with the tri I n testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANKLIN BONAPARTE SHUSTER.

WVitnesses:

E. L. SIMPSON, WILLIAM SUKLOFF.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, WashingtomD; G. 

